Honda Certified Hybrids » Insight

The Insight gets Pimped by Mugen

admin — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:22:01 +0000

Never heard of Mugen? Well this company which was started by the son of the founder of Honda itself; has been tuning cars professionally since 1973. Mugen has a cult following overseas and with the import boom here in the US; Mugen parts can fetch a hefty price tag. Today they tune the Insight from top to bottom.

So what exactly was Mugen thinking when then decided to pimp an Insight? Ever met a Hybrid owner who was into upgrading their ride? The Insight already has the 2nd lowest drag coefficient of any mass produced car on the road today, so why would any company try to better the Insights slippery look?

Body-Kit

The upgrades made to the exterior of the car are meant to produce zero lift which is absolutely optimal for a car with fuel economy in mind. The Mugen catalogue includes a lip spoiler kit, front grill, and wing which hopefully add up to some nice airflow management around the car. Remember the lower the drag the better the MPG.

The Stance

No self respecting tuner can leave the stock rims and tires on a ride. The stock wheels are ditched for either a set of 16-inch mesh or 15-inch 8-spoke rims wrapped in LRR Tires. Handling issues are addressed with a set of springsthat drop the car about 20mm, which isn’t much, but they do tighten up the car.

The Rest
Tuning the Engine of the Insight is a lost cause since more horsepower would mean less miles per gallon. The 1.3-liter engine is an engineering masterpiece from Honda that need not be touched. Although a nice triangle tip exhaust adds a bit of flavor to the exhaust note. And of course the Insight is sure to receive the regular treatment of a shift knob, floor mats, probably pedals, and who knows what else.

Source: Modified Magazine (Jun 09)
Photos: http://www.webridestv.com/photos/2010-mugen-zero-lift-honda-insight-178991

Do AERODYNAMICS Effect MPG?

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 23:38:42 +0000

Of all the factors contributing to poor gas mileage; your car’s drag co-efficient is probably not at the forefront of your mind. Well the shape of your auto determines whether it cuts through the wind like a hot knife in butter or plunges through like a big square brick. Countless hours and millions of dollars are spent in the wind tunnels of the largest car companies trying to lower that drag co-efficient to minimal levels. A vehicle like a hummer is at the very high end of the scale with a drag coefficient of 26.5! While the compact gas sipper Honda Insight is at the low end with a paltry 5.10. So all things being equal….the body style of the Insight is much suitable for a car that can get more than 40 miles per gallon without breaking a sweat.

How many times have you heard that as a truck owner it is beneficial to drop the tailgate when driving on the freeway? Well let me tell you my friend that the best way to save gas in a pick-up truck is to get a tonneau cover. The slicker the surface area and the less amount of direction the wind has to change the better for your drag coefficient. I know the wheel covers on the rear of the Insight is UGLY. But you don’t drive a Hybrid for the looks do you?

The design of the Old Skool Insight was so 90’s. Fast forward to today and with the release of the redesigned Insight, we get a familiar wedged shaped hybrid with almost the same drag coefficient as the ultra slippery 1-st generation Insight. Thank God the Honda engineers took looks into consideration this time around!

Source: Wikipedia Automobile Drag Coefficient

Get Ready for a Honda Hybrid Ninja Fight!

admin — Tue, 12 May 2009 05:12:19 +0000

With the release of the Insight now upon us, I wonder if the Civic is man enough to put up a good fight. The new Insight comes equipped with shooting stars and nunchakus. The lowly Civic only has chop sticks and Dragon-Ball Z movies.

2009 Honda Insight

The Insight comes ready to battle the best alligators? Er…Hybrids on the market. Carrying a $19,800 price tag, the 2010 Insight is sure to sell like Mochi on a hot Sunday. The Insight brings that undeniably Prius wedge shape that proves to be oh so aerodynamic. The shape alone is enough to sell cars. People immediately know your driving a hybrid by the shape. So there is a status symbol sort of thing. The Insight also has all of Honda’s newest stuff. But most importantly; the Gas Mileage numbers are 40 MPG in the city and 43 MPG on the freeway.

2009 Honda Civic

The Civic represents the absolute base model car available from Honda. But these cars are by far the most popular. Having owned one I can attest that with a Honda, everything is where it should be and more importantly, everything works correctly. So what can you expect from the 2009 Civic Hybrid who is lurking in the shadows.

Stay Tuned for The Next Installment………The Feature Fight!

Source:

http://automobiles.honda.com/insight-hybrid
http://automobiles.honda.com/civic-hybrid/

Why the New Honda Insight Looks Like the Prius

admin — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:40:43 +0000

Anytime there is a good idea someone copies it. Major movies companies spy on each other then quickly steal ideals from their competitors…..think Deep Impact and Armageddon, Bugs Life and Ants, Volcano and well I can’t think of the other one right now; but you get my drift. So it was not really a shocker when the new Honda Insight looks exactly like the Toyota Prius. Well, why did the Honda engineers copy, I mean decide upon the wedge shape.

Well first, the shape of the Prius has a low drag coefficient. So exactly what does that mean? The more aerodynamic the shape of something; say a plane, the less wind resistance there is holding it back. Think about the Space Shuttle for instance. The Shuttle has a wedge shape that allows it to cut through the atmosphere. Well the shape of the Toyota Prius net the best economy possible based on shape. If the Prius was shaped like a Hummer it would hinder its fuel economy. So the Prius has a drag coefficient of 0.25 according to wikipedia; which is lower than a Lotus, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Ferrari. Actually it has the lowest coefficient of any mass marked vehicle on the road. So Honda was smart in taking the wedge shape into account when designing the Insight. And just so you know the Insight nets a 0.26 drag coefficient.

So the other reason is the status. When you see a Prius you instantly know that the driver is an individual who cares about the environment and therefore is better than you. That shape is what perspective hybrid owners seek. So buy an Insight and people will instantly love you.